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In Northern California, Walmart is the third retailer to be targeted by protests.

Recently, Hostess employees were on strike. Raley's employees were striking against that company for over one week across California and Nevada until earlier this month, when the company came to an agreement with the United Food and Commercial Workers union on health care benefits for employees.

Some business experts and political experts said labor unions are feeling emboldened by the re-election of President Obama, and in California, by the failure of Proposition 32, the measure that would have prohibited unions from taking money from members' paychecks for political purposes.

In West Sacramento on Friday, not a single one of the roughly 30 protesters outside Walmart were Walmart employees. Some identified themselves as members of labor unions representing workers in other industries. Others were with "Occupy Sacramento."

But, in Placerville, there were roughly 30 to 40 Walmart employees who had walked off the job Friday. They stood with 100 other protesters outside the store, according to those who attended the protest.

Workers in Fairfield also planned to join the walkout Friday, expressing frustration over take-home pay, hiring practices and having to work on Thanksgiving.

"I think there is a lot of support out there for working people," said protester Benjamin Elliott, in West Sacramento. "I think people are realizing that companies like Walmart who are taking advantage of workers and making huge profits while cutting health care benefits that the time is coming for change."

Walmart employees are not unionized. A worker at the Placerville Walmart told KCRA 3 earlier this week that they would like better pay and benefits, but that many workers at the store are reluctant to join a union.

In Los Angeles County, authorities arrested a small group of protesters at a Black Friday demonstration outside a Walmart.

Elizabeth Brennan of Warehouse Workers United said nine people, including three Walmart employees, were arrested shortly after noon Friday for blocking the street outside the store in Paramount.

A spokesperson for Walmart said the protests are confusing the store's customers and employees and that they are "orchestrated" by outside forces, not Walmart workers.